# Solomon's seals (*Polygonatum*)

Solomon's seals are beautiful plants with arching stems and bell-shaped flowers. They grow in shady places and are loved by many for their unique shape and lovely green leaves.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![Solomon's seals](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Polygonatum_verticillatum01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jeffdelonge, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polygonatum_verticillatum01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Solomon's seals has arching, unbranched stems with oval leaves arranged alternately, often on one side. Small, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers dangle in pairs or clusters beneath the leaf axils. The plant produces small, dark blue to black berries.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asparagaceae
- **Genus:** Polygonatum

## Interesting facts

- Its dark berries look tempting, but eating them causes tummy aches!
- Native Americans historically used the plant's roots for various traditional medicines!
- Some Solomon's seals can live underground for over 100 years!
- The marks left on its rootstock look like ancient wax seals!

## Special abilities

- **Underground Navigator:** Solomon's seals can spread widely using thick rhizomes that explore the soil to find new growing space.
- **Shady Survivor:** Solomon's seals has leaves arranged on one side of its arching stem, helping it catch maximum sunlight in dim forests.
- **Yearly Timekeeper:** Solomon's seals marks each year's growth with a scar on its root, showing how old the plant is!

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring_early_summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — eats the plant's dark berries
- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar from its small flowers
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on young foliage and stems

## Traits

- [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Solomon's seals?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Solomon's seals?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Solomon's seals spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Solomon's seals?

1-2 cm

### When does Solomon's seals bloom?

Spring_early_summer

### Is Solomon's seals edible?

No

### Is Solomon's seals toxic?

Mild

### What is Solomon's seals's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Solomon's seals: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/solomons-seals)